Device for conveying loads over inclined or stepped surfaces



March2, 1937. R. A. SCHUTTKUS DEVICE FOR CONVEYING LOADS OVER INCLINED 0R STEPPED SURFACES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 20, 1935 w P H a E March 2, 1937. R. A. SCHUTTKUS DEVICE FOR CONVEYING LOADS OVER INCLINED 0R STEPPED SURFACES Filed July 20', 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /7;:& 2 A? ea Patented Mar. 2, 193v DEVICE FOR CONVEYING LOADS OVER- INOLINED R STEPPED SURFACES Richard Arthur Schiittkus, Hamburg, German Application July 20, 1935, Serial No. 32,452 In Germany April 2'1, 1935 4 Claims.

Endless track devices for conveying loads, particularly perambulators over inclined surfaces,

particularly stairs, are known which, withoutbeing rigidly attached to the load to be conveyed,

hold it in a horizontal position while the conveylng appliance is in an inclined position. In all these appliances the main problems are, firstly, to ensure the maximum amount of safety as regards the connection between the inclined transporting appliance and the load to be transported or conveyed and, secondly, to keep the load in the horizontal position.

The present invention solves this problem in a manner which will now be described with referonce to the examples shown in the accompanying drawings. In these drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a plan'view of the frame in one constructional embodiment, while Fig. 2 shows the same device in side elevation.-

9 For the sake of clearness, the device is assumed, in both these figures to be set up in the operative position. i

Fig. 3 is a plan view of another constructional form, while Fig. 4 shows the corresponding side elevation and Fig. 5 the corresponding rear view.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the device, while Fig. 7 shows a detail (1. e. the locking link ii between members 9 and l2).

. Endless tracks i are guided, in the well known way, each over a pair of rollers 2, mounted in a frame 3. I The longitudinal connecting bars 4, which carry the rollers, are U-shaped or otherwise -profiled so as to provide openings or channelsunderneath, along which the endless tracks are guided, and a plurality of rollers, cylinders or balls '5, mounted in the saidchannels, aiford support to the endless tracks while permitting them to slide easily. I

The load (the underframe of a perambulator,

for example) is connected to a frame-structure 6 furnished with suitable fastening devices 26 for fixing the frame of the perambulator. In order that this frame 6 maybe able to accommodate different perambulators, having their axles or other points of attachment on their underframes 'at different distances apart, it may, for instance, include telescopically extensible tubular members I which, in their turn, carry fixing means on 'their ends, in the form of clips or the like. The attachment device 2t mounted on the other end 8 may likewise be adjustable longitudinally on the tube, for instance, by providing a number of different holes, so as to allow of suitable attachment when the wheels of a perambulator are of different diameters. The two frames 3 and 6 are are so connected to each other that, on the one hand, they can be easily folded together in flat form while, on the other hand, they are capable 5 of forming an angle of about 30 with each other when in the operative position and must be able to be rigidly secured in this position. For this purpose the two frames 3 and 6 are connected to each other by two U-shaped rocking frames of which the front one 9 has both its limbs pivotally attached to fixed points on the frame 3, while the free ends of the limbs are pivotally attached to fixed points on the frame 6. The same holds good in the case of the frame It. Thus, with the aid of the two connections 9 and In, the whole frame 6 can execute a certain oscillating movement relatively to the frame 3 and, to secure it in the operative position the two associated fixed points of the U-shaped frame 9 are suitably connected by a spindle 9 at the centre of which 20 a locking link ii is pivotally mounted. A transverse connection, on which a hook-shaped recess in the locking link H can engage, may likewise be provided by a spindle i2 between the two fixed points of attachment of the frame H) to the frame 6. This enables the structure to be locked in the'erected or operative position. By means of a simple device adapted for pulling upwards, the link Iii can be brought out of engagement with the transverse connection l2 and the whole apparatus then folded up on to the perambulator.

To ensure the different parts being properly guided when the apparatus is thus collapsed, the folding up movement can be improved to some extent by the aid of a parallel member [3, which in a way, forms an extension of. the openmouthed hook portion of the lever l i.

The perspective view (Fig. 6) and the detail view (Fig. '7) illustrate the arrangement more clearly. In Fig. '7 the locking link II is shown in section. In its hollow interior is a slidable spring urged rod 30 having a hook-like lug 29. The upper or free extremity of the locking link II is terminated by the hooked extension 28 from 45 which may extend the member l3, aforesaid (shown in dotted lines in Fig. '7). vIt will be obvious that with this arrangement the spindle I2 can slide between the member l3 and the link II the hook 28 acting as a stop in one direction and 50 the hook-like lug 29 sliding to and fro excepting when, after the spring 25 has forced it into the end position, it is kept in that position by a rotatably mounted stirrup l1 (Figs. 4 to '7) being swung round behind the hook 28. 55

In the second form of construction the connection between the frame 3 and the frame 6 is efiected exactly as in the first form, excepting that the connecting member I is constructed in a special manner as a toggle lever system, not for the purpose of collapsibility but solely for the purpose of acting as brake for the loaded frame in case of failure on the part of-anyone looking after the arrangement. For the same purpose the open limbs of the shorter frame 9 are made to slide in the frame portion 6. In this example, as shown in side elevation in Fig. 4, the part 9 is slidably connected at its pivotal points of attachmentto the frame 6. Either the sliding surface is provided in the frame 6 in the form of slots or the fixed point is located on the said frame and a slot, for it to slide in, is formed in the open end of the U-shaped member 9. Y The rear part III, which connects the frame member 3 to the frame 6, is constructed as a toggle system by subdividing the U-shaped limbs I4; they stop below the frame 6 and are pivotally connected thereto by intermediate levers I5. The lever portions I4 and I5 can, therefore, turn about their points of attachment to the frames 3 and 6 and can also turn relatively to each other on their common pivotal axis I2. The toggle system may, as shown in Fig. 5, take the form of a frame, that is to'say, the pivotal points I6, which connect the members I5 to the members I4, may lie on the axis I2 of a spindle connecting the free limbs II, the middle of such spindle being arranged, at the same time, for engagement by the locking member II. The locking lever may "be provided with more than 'one hook, so as to be capable of adjusting the parts to different inclinations. It will also be obvious that it is possible to use a frame of locking levers instead, of

a single locking lever particularly in the case of such a construction inthe interests of security.

The levers may be secured in their-operative positions in various ways, for instance, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4', by means of a rotatably arranged 45 sheath I! which may take the simple form of a bent band provided with holes and embracing the locking-lever II and may be mounted on the spindle in place of the hook attachment.

By the above described arrangement of the 50 toggle lever system and of the frame 9, but particularly of the latter, the absence of the attendant who pulls the load forwards and thereby takes the load to some extent oil the front of the frame, deprives the load of this support. The 55 load therefore, presses on theforward portion 8, 9 of the frame and, acting through guide rollers I 8, bears down on the endless track I thus putting a brake on the apparatus so that it cannot run down the inclined way. The toggle lever 0 system nevertheless ensures that the load remains in a horizontal position. Especially when the inclination is slight, the toggle lever system may be dispensed with, the peculiar construction of the part 9 alone acting to afford a braking action.

5 The construction of the parts 9 and III or I5 may be interchanged, if the load is to be pushed.

In order that, in.the case of the second constructional form, the frame 6 shall not turn over backwards with the toggle lever system when the 70 brake is applied, an additional guide for the fixing point of the rollers I8 is provided by a U- shaped frame III, the limbs 20 of which are mounted pivotally on the spindle 22 of the rollers .I8 and also pivoted on a spindle 2| which 1 forms part of the frame 3 and stiifens this latter.

position into the position of rest the link II is raised by a pull cord, for example. It then slides along on the spindle I2, until the frame has collapsed oompletely. In the part II is housed'a compression spring 25 with abutment plate on its end said plate having a, ing projecting from a slit in the said tube I I. When the frame is folded up the spindle I6 or I 2 presses against this-lug so that the plate and the spring are forced together into their position of rest. Conversely, when the frame is opened, this action automatically forces the whole frame into the operative position, inasmuch as the spring, by pressing in the opposite direction against the spindle I2, causes the entire system to open out. On the other hand, when the frame collapses, the spring prevents the loadfrom flopping suddenly and jerkily into the 'normal position. a matter which is of particular importance in the case of perambuiators. Instead of having 8. lug, guidedin a slot, on the spring 25 in the link I I, this tubular link may be kept closed and provided with a portion adapted to slide telescopically in it this portion having the same effect as the lug. Instead of .the spring arrangement a v brake worked by oil under pressure or air, in the well known way, may obviously be employed.

The frame 3 has, at its rear side, a common spindle 23 for connecting the two guide rollers of the track I. In the middle 'of this spindle may be fixed the release cord aforesaid. In the case of the perambulator, for instance, itmay be passed over the perambulator axles and attached at the front to the spindle 2|, say, by

means of-a leather clip or in any other suitable manner. When the cord is pulled the link I I will be unhooked in some very simple way, as, for

instance, by mounting a guide roller 21 on the top of the link II and drawing the cord under it. If now the cord has also been passed over the two axles of the perambulator or other load, located above the frame 6, this point, as will be seen from the side elevation in Fig. '4 will be at its lowest, that is to say, the guide roller 21 will be drawn upwards when the cord is pulled and, therefore, the link II will be released from its engagement with the spindle I2. By providing another point of attachment the cord can also be used to keep the frame together in the collapsed position.

At the rear part of the frame, more particularly on the spindle 23,.there may conveniently be mounted, in addition to the guide rollers for the endless track I, two rollers 24 which project beyond the path or contour of the said endless track and serve to take the load off the endless track when the said load is carried across stair landings. This greatly facilitates conveyance of the load which then rests on these two rollers only.

The structural parts may conveniently be tubular members so far as the construction of the levers is concerned. .It is however, obvious that it is possible to use any desired kind of profile or contour for these links.

What I claim is:-

1. In a device for conveying loads over inclined surfaces, a frame, pairs of wheels rotatably mounted'in said frame and endless tracks movably carried by said pairs of wheels, a second frame comprising telescopically extensible tubular members, a pair of longer oscillatory links and a pair of shorter oscillatory links, each of said pairs of oscillatory links pivotally attached to each of said frames and rods connecting the links of each pair at their lower and at their upper ends, a locking link pivoted on the rod connecting the lower end of the shorter links and having means to secure its free end to the rod connecting the upper ends of the longer oscillatory links.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 in which the longer pair of oscillatory links are subdivided to form a toggle.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the long links consist of toggles and a compression spring on the locking link for maintaining the toggle.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 in which I there are brake rollers supported at one end of the second named. frame, and means on the first named frame for restricting the movement of 10 said brake rollers.

RICHARD ARTHUR SCHiiI'IKUS. 

